Typewriting machine



May 17, 1932. w. F. HELMOND 1,353,447

- TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 8. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnven/ar:

May 17, 1932. w. F. HELMOND,

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Oct. 8. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented'May 17, 1932' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- WILLIAM F. HELI IOND, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNDER- WOGD ELLIOTT rrsnm COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- wann TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application filed. October 8, I930. Serial No. 487,245. 1

' This invention relates to the carriage-controlling mechanism of typewriters, and more particularly to deeimal-tabnlating devices.

, in the McLaughlin Patent No. 956,144, of

April 26, 1910, there is arranged in the front 1 tem of key-levers which operate the types.

At their rear ends the decimal-key-levers elevate rods or plungers that are formed at their upper ends with stops, which are lifted into the path of column-stops, the latter being adjustable along a rack that isprovided upon I the power-driven paper-carriage.

One of the objects of the present invention is to simplify and compact the mechanism, and to reduce the cost thereof, and make it readily adaptable to existing. machines, such as the Underwood, which is illustrated in the drawings. 1

According to the present improvements, decimal-tabulating keys form a row placed just at the back of the keyboard. Levers extend rearwardly from these tabulating "keys above the system of type-key-levers.

The tabulating levers are pivoted between their ends, and they converge to their rear ends, where they are guided in a vertically slotted comb beneath a set of vertical stoprods or plungers. I

At their forward ends the tabulator-levers are guided in slots that are out in the upper of levers.

One of the present improvements is in the nature of an arm extending from-each decimal-stop, and at its forward end operating a universal bar. This bar is mounted upon a rock-shaft, which is pivoted in the sides of a bracket which carries the decimal-stop rods or blades. This universal bar rises when any stop is elevated,'and operates an arm that is also fixed upon said rock-shaft. Said armdepresses another arm, to release the carriage-rack from its pinion.

One of the objects of the invention is to improve the means for controlling the speed of the carriage, after it has been released from the escapement-mechanism.

To said universal bar is connected a movable friction pad, which, at the setting of every decimalstop, is swung back towards a fixed friction pad. Between these pads extends a metal ribbon or thin flexible strap, the

ends of which are attached to the ends of the paper-carriage. This strap is pinched or gripped by the pads, and serves as a brake to retard the carriage when the latter is released, as set forth in my co-pending application No. 449,177, filed May 2, 1930. The flexibility of the strap is an accommodation, and makes it unnecessary to manufacture the parts with a high degree of accuracy.

In order to determine mechanically how strong a grip shall be placed upon the strap,

a transmission spring is interposed between the movable pad-arm and the universal bar, so that no greater pressure can be applied to the brake-strap than is transmitted by said spring. The tabu'lator-stop first lifts the uni versal bar, and releases the carriage and then brings the friction pad up against the brakestrap. The key may be depressed a little more, to grip the pad more firmly by means of the spring. I

The key does not need to be pressed down to the lowest possible point, but only far enough to put a light braking pressure upon the brake-strap. V The speed of the released carriage can be controlled by varying the pressure upon the key, as it is close to the bottom of itspossible stroke. The spring is short, so that its tension can be increased by means of the key, thus subjecting the carriage toany desired braking effect. The carriage may be allowedto jump rapidly at first, and then a heavy. pressure may be applied upon the key, thus checking t e speed of the carriage as it approaches the next column-stop.-

carriage being under the control of the operator, speed of operation is gained, and injury is avoided from collision of the carriage 'With the projected decimal- .stop.

it aside from'its true path; nor is accuracy of construction of the carriage and its tracks required, but the brake-strap is pressed between two pads, and is capable of yielding facewise either frontwardly or backwardly to accommodate any irregularities due to inaccurate manufacture or to wear of the carriageguides, etc.

The set of decimal-stops and its guides and spring, together with the universal bar, carriage-releasing arm, movable brake-pad and stationary brake, may all be mounted upon a single bracket, which may be formed and secured upon the machine somewhat 1n the manner of the standard Underwood decimaltabulator bracket.

Another feature of the invention relates to the adjustable column-stops. This stop is a fork that straddles a column-stop bar and is inserted in the notches on the opposite sides of the bar. For retaining the stop, there has heretofore been provided a spring, and one of the objects of the invention is to improve the construction and flexibility of the spring. To this end, the stop-spring is made in the form of a long, slender blade, which extends fiatwise against one face of the column-stop. The spring is provided with an etension that is curled around into a hook or loop form. The entire spring is placed face to face with the column-stop blade, and the loop lies facewise against the handle-portion of the column-stop. The two parts are riveted together near the tip of the loop of the spring. Thus the length of the spring is very much increased, giving it flexibility without sacrificing strength. The flexible portion of the spring extends from its working tip along the blade of the stop and around the handle-portion thereof, and the length of the spring may be about twice as great as the length of a fork of the column-stop.

Other features and advantages will here- I inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, showing the paper-carriage released and the carriage-brake in action.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation, taken longitudinally of the machine, about centrally thereof, and showing parts in normal positions.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken from front to rear, showing the adjustment of the brake-strap at the right-hand end of the paper-carriage.

Figure 3 is a perspective front view of the tabulating mechanism, showing parts in normal positions.

Figure 4 is a part-sectional perspective front view of the carriage-escapement rack and the rack-releasing arm.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan, showing a universal bar that is operable by the decimalstops, and also showing the rack-releasing arms and a portion of the carriage-braking mechanism.

Figure 6 is a part-sectional plan, showing the method of applying the brake to the carriage.

Type-keys 10 form the keyboard of a typewriting machine, whose frame is indicated at 11, said keys mounted upon key-levers 12, which operate bell-cranks 13 to swing typebars 14 upwardly against a platen 15. There is provided for the platen a carriage 16, whereon is mounted at 17 a letter-feedin rack 18 by means of'hingearms 19. The rack meshes with a pinion 20 that is connected to an escapement-wheel 21.

The movements of the wheel and carriage are controlled by spacing dogs 22, which are operable by a frame 23 having on its front forward ends of levers 32, which form a bank that overlies the system of ty e-keylevers 12. The tabulator-levers 32 are ulcrumed upon a transverse rod 33. Each lever 32 is pivoted between its ends upon the rod, so that the de pression of a tabulator-key causes the rear end 34 to rise. These rear ends lift plungers or blades 35 having decimal-stops 36 formed upon their upper ends.

Any decimal-stop may be thrust into the path of a column-stop 37: A number of 001- Y umn-stops may be mounted adjustably upon a rack 38, which is carried by a pair of arms 39 that extend rearwardly from the carriage, being secured by screws 40 to the rear bar 28 of the carriage.

- The column-stop blades 35 are mounted at letter-space intervals, being guided at their upper ends in a rack 41 (secured tothe top 0 bracket 49), and at their lower ends in a comb 42; the rear ends of the decimal key)- levers 34 being guided in the same com Said levers at their rear ends are thus placed close together, whereas at their front ends they are divergent, since the decimal-keys 30 have the usual spacing. From said keys 30 the levers 32 converge rearwardly to pass beedge of :a": comb-plate 45, the

' type-key-levers 12 by means of slots 46 in its lower edge. The tips 34 of'thedecimal key-leverssare confined by --a bar'47' having at its ends bent-up ears-48,.-whereby itis de? tachably secured to. the front of the bracket 49, upon which is assembled .part of :the decimalQ- tabu-lating mechanism. This bar 47 serves asa stop, preventing the key-s30 from rising too fa1".;-. "1 i .1

When any decimal-key 30 is depressed, its rear end 34 lifts its decimal-stop blade 35 into the path of the column-stop 37, and. at the.

same time the carriage 16 is released, so that it may be driven freely by means of aspringbarrel 50 and driving band 51. The release of the carriage is effected by means of an arm 52, with which each decimal-blade 35 is provided. Any one of these arms 52 may lift a short universal bar 53, which is in the form of a flange upon a rock-plate 54. The latter has ears 55, Figures 2 and 5, secured by screws 56 to. a rock-shaft 57 journaled in ears 58 that are provided in opposite sides of the .7 thin somewhat yieldable or flexible brakestrap 64, that extends from end to end of the carriage. The retardation of the released carriage avoids liability of injury when the carriage is arrested by the tabulator-stops;

To brake the carriage, the universal bar 53,

i which is operable by any key, causes the brake-strap 64 to be pinched between stationary friction P ds 65 and 66, which rub on the opposite surfaces of strap 64. The rear friction pad 66 is fixed to head 67 which surmounts bracket 49, and the front brake-pad is attached to a rocking plate 68, which is movable rearwardly to pinch the strap. The pad-plate 68 is provided with ears 69, whereby it is mounted loosely upon the rockshaft 57. v

The brake-pad is not fixed to the universal bar 53. The universal bar compresses a spring 70, as at Figure 1, thereby swinging the padplate 68 backward from the position at Figure 2 to the position at Figure 1. thereby gripping the strap 64, the force of the grip de-= pending upon the tension of the spring. In other words, a key 30 cannot apply any greater force to the strap than is transmitted by the spring, and hence excessive pres sure upon the strap 1s avoided? The fr1ctional pressure is mechanically limited, so that there is assured a properdegree of retardation of the carriage, even though the keys may be depressed with difierent degrees of force. Y

- f The compressibility of the spring and hence the frictionaleifect of the pads-can beregulated by means of a nut 71,which is threaded uponthe'upper'endof a stem 72, which is surrounded by said spring 70, said stem being riveted at its lower end into a flange 7 3 that projects forwardlyfrom the pad-plate 68; the nut being yieldingly held against accidental, rotation by means of a spring-finger 74 which is'bent out from the pad-plate 68.

The spring 70 is short, and therefore some variation in its tension can be effected by forcing down a key 30 somewhat farther after the pads bite the brake-strap; and hence an extra braking pressure can be applied upon the strap near the completion of a long rapid run. .The carriage may thus travel quickly, while the extra key-pressure near the end of the run prevents the carriage from being arrested toosharply; The spring stem or post 72 extends up through a large opening 75in the universal-bar plate 53.

When the tabulator-key -is -released,xa.'

spring 76 returns the stop-blade 35. .to normal position, together with the key-lever I 32.

The carriage-rack 18 drops into meshagain with the pinion 20, and all the parts return to normal positions, as at Figure 2. The

springs 76 are caught upon the arms 52 of i the stopeblades, andat the lower ends catch in the perforated edges of a fixed U-plate 77. The springshold said U-plate up against a transversearod 78, supported in ears 79 upon the; bracket 49.; said ears confining said'U- p ate.'f=-.-f

The =bracket;49 may be detachably secured to the rearwall 80 of the machine-baselby' means of: screws 81', in about the same manner;' as the usual f decimal-tabulator brackets.

Upon this bracket 49 are mounted all of the decimal-stop blades 35 with'their springs 76, also the rock-shaft 57 with its universal bar, and also the fixed and movable brake pads, sothat all of these parts may be manufactured as, aunit, and applied toithemachine Derangement of the stop-blades 35 is prevented by using a transverse removable lockingrod 82, that extends through eyes-83 in the lower ends of the stop-blades. The key-levers 32 and their fulcrum-rods 33 are mounted upon a horizontal bracket 84,"

which, at itsrear edge, is securedby a screw 85 to the top of base-wall 80, and its front ends by a screw 86 to a ledge 87 provided upon thebar that carries the type operating bell-cranks 13. This bracket 84 is substantia-llythe same as now employed in the Underwood machine, for. the escapement-mechanism.

The brake-strap 64 may be formed at its ends with loops 88, caught upon studs 89, 90 mounted in arms 91, 92 that extend from the late-like arms 39, Figure 6; these studs bemg held up against the bottom of the arms 91, 92 by means of screws 93. These screws are passed through forwardly and rearwardly extending slots 94 in the arms. Upon loosening either screw, its stud may be ad- 'usted forwardly or backwardly, so as to ring the strap 64 into parallelism with the path of the carriage, and also so as to bring the1 strap into alignment with the'frictiona 66. p To tighten the strap 64, there is provided an eccentric arrangement for the righthand loop 88; the screw 93 passing eccentrically into the stud 89. A tool may be used upon either octagonal head 95 of the stud 89, for rotating the same, said stud turning eccentrically upon the screw 93, thereby tightening or loosening the strap as required. After such rotative adjustment, the screw 93 may be tightened. As the tightening of the strap can be effected by turning only one stud, the other stud 90 is made concentric with its screw, seen at the left of Figure 6.

The arms are extended rearwardly past the column-stop rack 38, and upon the extended ends 96 'may be fastened a scale 97, adjacent to the column-stops 37, to aid in locating the latter along the rack.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the implrovements may be used without others.

aving thus described my invention,.I

claim:

1. In a typewriting and tabulating mechanism, a set of key-operated stops, a universal bar operable by said stops, a pivotal mounting for said universal bar, a movable friction-pad mounted concentrically with said universal bar, a driving spring between p the universal bar and the friction-pad, a

brake-strap attached at its ends to the carriage of the typewriting machine, and a companion friction-pad against which said mov able pad is pressed by said spring.

2. In a typewriting and tabulating mechanism, a set of key-operated stops, a universal bar operable by said stops, a pivotal mounting for said universal bar, a movable friction-pad mounted concentrically with said universal bar, a driving spring between the universal bar and the friction-pad, a brake-strap attached at its ends to the carriage of the typewriting machine, a com- .panion friction-pad against which said movable pad is pressed by said spring, and means for regulating the tension of said spring.

3. In a typewriting and tabulating machine, a system of type-operating key-levers, a row of tabulating key-levers thereover, and a transverse plate on edge between the levers, said plate being vertically slotted at its bottom portion. to guide the type-key-levers means for supporting said strap upon thecarriage, including slotted carriage-members, studs adjustable forwardly and backwardly in the slots of said members, means for securing the studs, and means upon the ends ofsaid strap to catch upon said studs. 5, In a typewriting machine having a carriage and tabulating mechanism, includmg means to release the carriage, the combination of friction-pads, a carriage-brake strap in position to be gripped between the pads to retard the carriage when tabulating, and means for supporting said strap upon the carriage, including slotted carriage members, studs adjustable forwardly and backwardly in the slots of said members, means for securing the studs, and means upon the ends of said strap to catch upon said studs, said securing means including screws for fastening the studs to said carriage-members, and one of said screws being eccentrically mounted in its stud, to permit the latter to be adjusted to tighten the stra WILLIAM F. HELM ND. 

